Boy, oh boy! Where the heck does the time go?  I suppose it's out there flying away with those wing-flapping pigs. Some how, some way our little girl turned four and the difference between toddler and kid are ginormous. Every day I love her more. Every day I'm in awe of her resilency and passion for livin' the good life. The kind of life where singing is happening all the time and laughter can be heard ricocheting off the walls.  Every day I'm challenged to be a better person and I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity.  So this entry is for Rosa Jane. How do I love thee, let me count the ways...
 
I love that when I slept with her this week because she came down with the flu when I woke up before her and just looked at her, the second she opened her eyes she flashed the world's greatest smile at me.  A smile cures what ails ya, that's for certain!

Here are some smiles from her last minute thrown together birthday bash when at the 11th hour, momma was starting to feel guilty that we'd planned not a party and instead had hired a DJ for the Dance Off Your Worries party. :-) Thank goodness for such wonderful friends who show up no matter what. We are indeed very blessed.

 

These adorable twins are so precious! They love solving mysteries and are super curious about the world around them. Their mother is totally beautiful on the inside and outside and feeds their curiousity and imagination for life. It was wonderfully inspiring to spend the morning with them on Monday in Old Town Spring. Enjoy the sneaky peeky, friends!

My sweet friend and September birthday buddy requested a photo session for her amazing children ages 15 and 12 a month ago. I'd been looking forward to spending some time with them ever since. Saturday's meet up was divine!  The great surprise was Leslie and Mark didn't realize it was photo day for them, too! Oh, but they were great sports and I just love what we came away with.  I really can't take any credit.  God's hand guides me and mostly it's just love on the outside that shows up. It's a beautiful thing and I'm so honored to be a part of it. Enjoy the sneak peek!

Please join me in extending a round of applause for our amazing winners from the Dance Off Your Worries benefit for Wonders and Worries. From Left to Right, Garrett Baez won Dancing King, Jay Beard won Keep Austin Weird, Addison Starr won Best Dancing Duds, Ella Lily won Shake Your Groove Thang and Olivia Autry took home the Dancing Queen trophy. These special dancers made the event so fun and we thank them for their participation. All dancers took home a participation certificate. Everybody dances and everybody wins. The event was a huge success and we raised over $1800 for a great cause. We couldn't have done it without your support. So thank you, Lakeway! Let's do it again soon!

Sunday's Dance Off Your Worries event was a smashing success! The DJ kept the dance floor hot and so many gracious businesses helped us make it a memorable day.  I have to thank Kids R Kids for providing the perfect venue! Hill Country Pasta House and Cupcakes by the Lake gave us delicious nibbles and treats. The ladies of BZ Events really threw the perfect party, and I could not have been more pleased with the turnout. Thank you to all who came and were a part of it, and thank you especially to our donors! We raised over $1,800 Wonders and Worries! What a precious cause. I was so thrilled to meet with two of their representatives/child life specialists and just as expected, they have a true passion for their careers and hearts of pure gold.

Because planning the event was so time consuming, I became a little lapse in my blogging, so here's a peek at what happened over Labor Day with the family.  Dance Off pictures will be following soon.

I'm so excited to present to you the full on details of the 2009 Dance Off Your Worries benefitting Wonders & Worries. The Dance Off is a family-friendly dance party on a Sunday afternoon on September 27 where you're invited to show off your best moves while alleviating some worries. Wonders and Worries is an Austin-based non-profit organization that helps children cope when there's a grave or chronic illness in the family.  For more information on the volunteers and child life specialists behind this amazing organization, please visit Wonders & Worries.

It's a proven fact that happy people dance and laugh and play and sometimes the harsh fact of the matter is that 2009 is worry-producing for many various reasons. It's my hope you'll take advantage of the dance outlet by packing up your family and unloading'em *and* your '09 worries at the door of LT Kids R Kids. We're gonna have face painting! We're gonna have a dance floor and DJ! We're gonna have a photo booth! Popcorn and other great snacks! We're even gonna have judges and trophies sponsored by Lorie Baez and her wonderful crew at the My Time Kids Gym. Donations will be taken for special song requests and chances to have your fabulous souvenir photo taken in the photo booth. Please bring your check books and give generously to this amazing cause.

A very special shout out and thank you to Nicole Muirhead of Styevites for her oh so fabulous design work on the promotional flyers. Be on the look out in a location near you!

This summer as I've walked beside my sweet neighbor Ella and her journey through "the ovarian cancer chapter" of her life, I was inspired to DO SOMETHING.  This dance off is the fruit. Please, y'all come and celebrate life with me.  Life is too short to let the worries weigh us down when the dance floor is calling your name. Somebody cue the LeeAnne Womack's,  "I hope you Dance!"

"when one door closes, i hope one more opens. promise me you'll give fate a fighting chance, and when you get the chance to sit it out or dance. i hope you dance." cause I, for one,  can't wait to see your dance moves!!